Extendable Arms: Difference between revisions

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{{trope}}
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{{cleanup|This page has been tagged as needing a better description since before the TV Tropes fork. Moving "back" to the Trope Workshop in order to get that better description.}}
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Take a cartoon, preferably an older one, and find a pair who always end up in fights. ''[[Tom and Jerry]]'', Dick Dastardly and Muttley from ''[[Wacky Races]]'' or virtually anyone from ''[[Looney Tunes]]''. Somehow, one character always has a fist which can stretch across an entire country. Or a universecontinent. This[[Serial isEscalation|Or a type of [[Toon Physicsuniverse.]], and is often used with revenge.
 
For decades, super stretchy limbs have been popular superhuman abilities. Whether they're used for a cartoony [[Visual Gag]] or are part of a [[Rubber Man]]'s powerset, they're practical, funny-looking, and even badass. Being able to hit a dangerous person from a safe spot, or a moving target you can't otherwise reach is a boon in a fight, and being able to grab something that is separated from you by a bunch of lethal traps can also take a lot of pressure off you. And of course, it can make something as mundane as grabbing a phone or a slice of pizza without moving [[Mundane Made Awesome|just plain cool.]]
Take a cartoon, preferably an older one, and find a pair who always end up in fights. ''[[Tom and Jerry]]'', Dick Dastardly and Muttley from ''[[Wacky Races]]'' or virtually anyone from ''[[Looney Tunes]]''. Somehow, one character always has a fist which can stretch across an entire country. Or a universe. This is a type of [[Toon Physics]], and is often used with revenge.
 
Keep in mind that this trope isn't just relegated to arms: extendable legs, necks, and... well, ''other'' body parts can invoke this trope, arms are merely the limb that instantly comes to mind. Not to be confused with [[Rubber Man]], but there's definitely overlap since stretchy arms come with the territory.
Not to be confused with [[Rubber Man]]
 
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== [[Fan Works]]==
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* ''[[Tom and Jerry]]'' demonstrates this several times, often when Tom tries to reach for Jerry inside one of the walls.
** Often used in conjunction with strategically [[Amusing Injuries|placed mousetraps]].
* Used by ''[[Wacky Races|]]'': Used by Dick Dastardly]] whenever Muttley starts laughing at him, outside the range of a typical human being.
* Pinkie Pie from ''[[My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic|My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic]]'' has these, but she uses them to pull her friends in for a group hug.
* On ''[[Family Guy]]'', Lois's father once punched Peter through an ''email''.
* Though it doesn't involve combat, one of the the mid-1980s ''[[Scooby-Doo (animation)|Scooby-Doo]]'' series (there are at least eight) had Daphne restrain a fleeing Shaggy by extending her arms from off screen.
* ''[[SpongebobSpongeBob SquarepantsSquarePants]]'' uses this trope often. One episode even had Squidward's limbs used in this manner to keep SpongebobSpongeBob's rotting house from collapsing. (against his will of course)
* Spinel from the ''[[Steven Universe]]'' franchise has these, being a rubberhoserubber hose-like character.
* The robots in ''[[Rolie Polie Olie]]'' can stretch their metallic limbs at will.
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